To fans, Gary Plummer was a sharp NFL analyst unafraid to criticize when necessary. To the 49ers, he could be a genuine pain in the ears.

The team announced this week that it was cutting ties with its longtime radio man and replacing him with former defensive back Eric Davis. The 49ers’ news release made no mention of Plummer or his 13 years in the booth.

It was a vague ending for a man known for blunt assessments. The organization explained the move by saying that it wanted to go in another direction. The 49ers indicated that there were multiple factors involved, including that Davis would be more available to serve as a public face for the 49ers at local events because he lives in the Bay Area.

Plummer, in contrast, lives in San Diego although he grew up in Fremont, played at Cal and for the USFL Oakland Invaders and 49ers.

No matter where he was, his words struck close to home.

Plummer irritated the 49ers by admonishing receiver Michael Crabtree for his lackadaisical play. He said on the air that Crabtree ought to be benched for a Week 1 effort that included misplaying two balls into interceptions and drawing two penalty flags.

Later in the season, Plummer openly questioned offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye’s play-calling against the Raiders. Plummer wondered why the 49ers kept running the ball up the middle against a makeshift defensive line that was vulnerable on the edges.

An oft-forgotten classic: After Bill LaFleur shanked his final punt of a miserable 2003 season, Plummer blared: “So long, Bill LaFleur. Get back to the sidelines, keep going and don’t stop until you’re on a plane.”

His insight is exactly what a listener wants from an analyst. Plummer spent 12 years as an overachieving NFL linebacker and, in the booth, had a knack for breaking down X’s and O’s as they happened. (There was no need for him to wait to see the film.) The team is 46-82 since its most recent playoff berth; Plummer was more than willing to point out why.

When the 49ers struggled, he said so. But, at times, that irked the image-conscious 49ers, who want happy faces as they try to drum up support for a new stadium. They had Dennis O’Donnell replaced as the host of a coach chat last season after his run-ins with then-coach Mike Singletary.

The 49ers dismiss the suggestion that on-air criticism is the reason Plummer is gone, noting that Damon Bruce — who also can be rough — remains in place as the postgame show host.

Davis, a former Pro Bowl player, has said the 49ers have given him license to tell the truth during broadcasts and that he won’t be afraid to criticize. In his gigs with KPIX and Comcast, Davis was known to take a few swipes at quarterback Alex Smith.

Let’s hope Davis remains as unrestrained in his new job. After 12 years of hearing Plummer giving it straight, no one has the appetite for a spoonful of sugar.

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